PACIFIC PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1921, Page 5

PACIFIC PEACE.

THE TREATY SIGNED. FOUR POWERS AGREE. CEREMONY DESCRIBED. ABSENCE OF FORMALITY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Washington. Dec. 13. The Quadruple Treaty—the Pacific treaty between the United States, the British Empire, France and Japan—has been signed. Received Dec. 14, 10.40 p.m. Washington, Dec. 13. Official.—The following agreement was :igued with the treaty: “In signing the •reaty this day between the United States, he British Empire, France and Japan, it s declared the understanding and intent »f the signatory Powers is: “(1) The treaty shall apply to the mandated islands of the ’’acific Ocean, prozided, however, that the making of the .Testy shall not be deemed assent on the sart of the United States to the mandates, and shall not preclude agreements be;ween the United States and the mandax>ry Powers respectively in relation to the mandated islands.

“(2) The controversies to which the edbnd paragraph of article one refers hall not be . aken to embrace questions ;hich, according to the principles of interational law, lie exclusively within the omestic jurisdiction of the respective Powrs.”

In keeping with the usual proceedings i this Conference, the signing of the Quaduple Treaty td-day was marked by an .beence of formality. The delegates arrived in sober civilian garb, and stood in he secretary’s room, chatting among themselves while signing, each one in turn being railed to the table, as though merely completing an ordinary business document, and not an instrument which, it was loped, would stabilise conditions in the ’acific for a generation. All the members of the four delegations igned, except M. Jusserand and M. Tar•ant, who were unavoidably absent. South Africa had been added to the list of British Dominions, Mr. A. J. Balfour signing for ?outh Africa as well as a« head of the British delegation. The treaty is bi-lingual, i French translation being paralleled. The English delegates used their own seals and .heir own pens. The United States signed list, then Britain. France and Japan, whose four delegates signed in English letters. The names of all the delegates were incorporated in the treaty. The British Dominions were headed by Sir Robert Borden (Canada), and then came Mr. G. F. Pearce (Australia), Sir John Salmond (New Zeaand), and Mr. A. J. Balfour (South Africa). The treaty will be deposited in :he archives of the United States Government, and duly certified copies will be transmitted to each of the signatory Powers. Presidential circles indicated that it has not been decided when the treaty shall be submitted to the Senate; they do not intend rushing it. It will not depend in any way on the naval agreement. The President does not propose to submit it personally.

OPINION IN JAPAN. NEW TREATY WELCOMED. SOME CRITICISM OF NAVAL RATIO. Received Dec. 14, 55 p.m. Tokio, Dec. 13. It is reported that the decision of the Government to accept the naval ratio unconditionally elicited severe denunciations from the newspapers Yorodxu Choho and Koko min Shimbun, leading Government organs. Both characterise the agreement as Japanese surrender, and denounce the Administration for submitting to America. The Koko min Shimbun says America’s insistence on such a small ratio for Japan indicates a future plan to threaten to overpower Japan. The Yorodzu Choho declares that naval limitation is part of a longstanding scheme for Anglo-Saxon domination of Asiatics, which has now succeeded. The paper concludes: “Japan no longer has a right to interfere in worfd matters, not even in the Far East.” The announcement regarding the quadruple entente is generally well received, with guarded comment. The newspaper Chugai Shgoyo Shimpo says it hopes America will be relieved by the elimination of the so-called Japanese menace in the Pacific. and Japan will be equally relieved of an alien menace to Asia. Most of the papers hope the entente will be followed by a reduction of Pacific fortifications.— &euter. ACTION IN JAPAN. PLOT AGAINST MINISTERS. Tokio, Dec. 13. The Premier, M. Takahashi, interviewed, declared that the quadruple alliance will prove efficient in preventing future wars. Japanese ironworks and builders of naval vessels have discharged nair their employees in anticipation of the stoppage of warship construction. Mr. Takahashi received a death threat through the mails, and this led to the arrest of a 20-year-old Japanese named Kotate. who, it is alleged, stated that if the Premier took action similar to that of M. Hara, his fate would be the same. It is rumored that a plot exists against the lives of other Cabinet Ministers, resulting in a large guard about important officials. A special bodyguard constantly watches M. Takahashi, and all persons approaching him are under keen surveillance.